2024 has arrived, and it’s set to be a big year for the USL from top to bottom. Almost every club in the USL Championship has made major moves either on the sideline with their manager or with their squad, and off-field machinations haven’t slowed down in the process.
What should fans expect from the USL in the year ahead? I have 10 predictions to anticipate, ranging from on-field improvements to structural reality checks.
Trevor Amann wins the Golden Boot
To say Trevor Amann was dominant in League One last season is an understatement of the highest order. The Northern Colorado Hailstorm striker put up 26 goals. 12 came on his right foot, seven from his left. Six were headers, and five came from outside the box. Amann isn’t the sort of No. 9 to hammer a thunderbolt from range time after time, though. No, he’s a precision tool with pinpoint placement and a real poacher’s instinct.
There are 3️⃣ certainties in life:
— USL League One (@USLLeagueOne) October 22, 2023
• Death
• Taxes
• @trevor9amann goals
#NCOvMAD // #USLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/1umi9Q6wBD
That skillset is going to play perfectly in Sacramento as Amann joins the Republic in 2024. Though they topped the West last year, Sacramento lacked that classic sort of forward to lead their 3-4-3, and Amann is going to make noise with players like Russell Cicerone flanking him and Rodrigo Lopez feeding him from the midfield.
